A Jersey Girl in Portland

Meyer Limoncello recipe

My sweetie brought home about 25 pounds of lemons. I preserved about ten pounds of them.

Last week, I started a batch of Limoncello (not lemon jello) with five pounds of Meyer lemons. Be warned, Limoncello takes seven-to-ten days to marinate.

I'm adapting a recipe from a guy at Penn. I chose this recipe because it uses the most lemon juice. That said, I also like this recipe from Imbibe magazine.

In my world, you go big or you go home so the recipe I adapted makes a lot of limoncello. Which is, by the way, perfect on the rocks. I can't wait till this summer when I swing in my hammock and sip limoncello.

Limoncello

5 pounds Meyer Lemons

1 750 ml bottle grain alcohol

6-1/2 cups sugar

6-1/2 cups water

1 cup lemon juice

Zest the lemons using a microplane. Zest only, no white. Combine the zest and alcohol in a large mason jar. Seal and store out of direct sunlight for three days. The alcohol will turn a lovely sunshine-y bright yellow.

On day seven (or ten -- depending on how patient you are), combine sugar and water in a large stainless steel stock pot. Bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool, covered.

When cool, strain the zest from the grain alcohol into the pot of sugar water. Add the lemon juice.

The writer at Penn keeps his Limoncello in the freezer. The Imbibe article recommends storing it in sterile, resealable bottles.

I put it in any container I could find.

Eat well and love big.

xoxo Nancy

 

 

Preserved Meyer Lemons

I'm surely the luckies gal in SE Portland.

I scored about 10 pounds of Meyer lemons. They were happily growing on their tree in Northern California just two days ago.

Meyer lemons are believed to be a cross between an orange and a lemon, and originated in China. The name comes from the importer, F.N. Meyer, who brought the fruit over in 1908. (Thank you "Food Lover's Companion.")

The flavor is magnificent. Lighter and fruitier than regular lemons, with an almost-perfume-like smell. Delightful.

What does one do with so many lemons? Make lemonade?!?! Or....Middle Eastern style preserved lemons.

I use a recipe out of the cookbook, Moorish by Greg and Lucy Malouf.

Preserved lemons*

3 pounds lemons with thin skins

1/2 cup sea salt

1 Tbsp coriander seed, crushed

2 cinnamon sticks, crushed

4 bay leaves, crushed

2 Tbsp honey (I used agave nectar and sugar as my sweetie is allergic to honey)

8 oz lemon juice

24 oz warm water

(two one-quart canning jars, two lids and two canning rings--sterilized)

Wash the lemons. Cut them into four wedges, lengthwise from the stem to 3/4 of the way down to the base. The wedges should be well-connected at the bottom.

Place in a bag and freeze for 24 hours.

Defrost the lemons. Stuff the center of each with about one teaspoon of salt. Press into two sterile two-quart jars, layering lemons with the crushed spices.

Add the honey or agave nectar to the lemon juice. Add the water, and stir until dissolved.

Pour the sugar/lemon water into the jars.**

Put a small towel or washcloth in the bottom of a large pot and add the jars. Fill with hot tap water to the jar's half-way mark.

Slowly bring to a boil and simmer for 6 minutes.

Hold -- in a cool, dark place -- for one month before using.

One of the things I've made is preserved lemon risotto. Play with the flavor. It's a fantastic addition to chicken and/or lamb dishes. I'm going to make some tagine dishes this winter and preserved lemons will be a big part of the flavor.

The rest of the lemons will probably be turned into Lemoncello.

And huge thanks to my BF CeeLee for bringing me such bounty. I ♥ you.

Love big

Eat well

xoxo

Nancy

* This recipe also works with limes.

** The leftover lemonade is delicious with vodka.